the ivory child-第25章

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〃You　are　a　good　reader　of　hearts；　O　Macumazana；　almost　as　good　as　I

am。　But　remember　that　there　is　One　Who　writes　upon　the　book　of　the

heart；　Who　is　the　Lord　of　us　who　do　but　read；　and　that　what　He　writes；

that　will　befall；　strive　as　we　may；　for　in　His　hands　is　the　future。〃



〃Quite　so；〃　I　replied　coolly；　〃and　that　is　why　I　am　going　with　you　to

Kendahland　and　fear　you　not　at　all。〃



〃So　it　is　and　so　let　it　be；〃　he　answered。　〃And　now；　Lords；　are　you

ready　to　start？　For　long　is　the　road　and　who　knows　what　awaits　us　ere

we　see　its　end？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　〃long　is　the　road　of　life　and　who　knows　what　awaits

us　ere　we　see　its　endand　after？〃







Three　hours　later　I　halted　the　splendid　white　riding…camel　upon　which

I　was　mounted；　and　looked　back　from　the　crest　of　a　wave　of　the　desert。

There　far　behind　us　on　the　horizon；　by　the　help　of　my　glasses；　I　could

make　out　the　site　of　the　camp　we　had　left　and　even　the　tall　ant…hill

whence　I　had　gazed　in　the　moonlight　at　our　mysterious　escort　which

seemed　to　have　sprung　from　the　desert　as　though　by　magic。



This　was　the　manner　of　our　march：　A　mile　or　so　ahead　of　us　went　a

picket　of　eight　or　ten　men　mounted　on　the　swiftest　beasts；　doubtless

to　give　warning　of　any　danger。　Next；　three　or　four　hundred　yards　away；

followed　a　body　of　about　fifty　Kendah；　travelling　in　a　double　line；

and　behind　these　the　baggage　men；　mounted　like　everyone　else；　and

leading　behind　them　strings　of　camels　laden　with　water；　provisions；

tents　of　skin　and　all　our　goods；　including　the　fifty　rifles　and　the

ammunition　that　Ragnall　had　brought　from　England。　Then　came　we　three

white　men　and　Hans；　each　of　us　riding　as　swift　and　fine　a　camel　as

Africa　can　breed。　On　our　right　at　a　distance　of　about　half　a　mile；　and

also　on　our　left；　travelled　other　bodies　of　the　Kendah　of　the　same

numerical　strength　as　that　ahead；　while　the　rear　was　brought　up　by　the

remainder　of　the　company　who　drove　a　number　of　spare　camels。



Thus　we　journeyed　in　the　centre　of　a　square　whence　any　escape　would

have　been　impossible；　for　I　forgot　to　say　that　our　keepers　Har？t　and

Mar？t　rode　exactly　behind　us；　at　such　a　distance　that　we　could　call　to

them　if　we　wished。



At　first　I　found　this　method　of　travelling　very　tiring；　as　does

everyone　who　is　quite　unaccustomed　to　camel…back。　Indeed　the　swing　and

the　jolt　of　the　swift　creature　beneath　me　seemed　to　wrench　my　bones

asunder　to　such　an　extent　that　at　the　beginning　I　had　once　or　twice　to

be　lifted　from　the　saddle　when；　after　hours　of　torture；　at　length　we

camped　for　the　night。　Poor　Savage　suffered　even　more　than　I　did；　for

the　motion　reduced　him　to　a　kind　of　jelly。　Ragnall；　however；　who　I

think　had　ridden　camels　before；　felt　little　inconvenience；　and　the

same　may　be　said　of　Hans；　who　rode　in　all　sorts　of　positions；

sometimes　sideways　like　a　lady；　and　at　others　kneeling　on　the　saddle

like　a　monkey　on　a　barrel…organ。　Also；　being　very　light　and　tough　as

rimpis；　the　swaying　motion　did　not　seem　to　affect　him。



By　degrees　all　these　troubles　left　us　to　such　an　extent　that　I　could

cover　my　fifty　miles　a　day；　more　or　less；　without　even　feeling　tired。

Indeed　I　grew　to　like　the　life　in　that　pure　and　sparkling　desert　air；

perhaps　because　it　was　so　restful。　Day　after　day　we　journeyed　on

across　the　endless；　sandy　plain；　watching　the　sun　rise；　watching　it

grow　high；　watching　it　sink　again。　Night　after　night　we　ate　our　simple

food　with　appetite　and　slept　beneath　the　glittering　stars　till　the　new

dawn　broke　in　glory　from　the　bosom　of　the　immeasurable　East。



We　spoke　but　little　during　all　this　time。　It　was　as　though　the　silence

of　the　wilderness　had　got　hold　of　us　and　sealed　our　lips。　Or　perhaps

each　of　us　was　occupied　with　his　own　thoughts。　At　any　rate　I　know　that

for　my　part　I　seemed　to　live　in　a　kind　of　dreamland；　thinking　of　the

past；　reflecting　much　upon　the　innumerable　problems　of　this　passing

show　called　life；　but　not　paying　much　heed　to　the　future。　What　did　the

future　matter　to　me；　who　did　not　know　whether　I　should　have　a　share　of

it　even　for　another　month；　or　week；　or　day；　surrounded　as　I　was　by　the

shadow　of　death？　No；　I　troubled　little　as　to　any　earthly　future；

although　I　admit　that　in　this　oasis　of　calm　I　reflected　upon　that

state　where　past；　present　and　future　will　all　be　one；　also　that　those

reflections；　which　were　in　their　essence　a　kind　of　unshaped　prayer；

brought　much　calm　to　my　spirit。



With　the　regiment　of　escort　we　had　practically　no　communication；　I

think　that　they　had　been　forbidden　to　talk　to　us。　They　were　a　very

silent　set　of　men；　finely…made；　capable　persons；　of　an　Arab　type；

light　rather　than　dark　in　colour；　who　seemed　for　the　most　part　to

communicate　with　each　other　by　signs　or　in　low…muttered　words。

Evidently　they　looked　upon　Har？t　and　Mar？t　with　great　veneration；　for

any　order　which　either　of　these　brethren　gave；　if　they　were　brethren；

was　obeyed　without　dispute　or　delay。　Thus；　when　I　happened　to　mention

that　I　had　lost　a　pocket…knife　at　one　of　our　camping…places　two　days'

journey　back；　three　of　them；　much　against　my　wish；　were　ordered　to

return　to　look　for　it；　and　did　so；　making　no　question。　Eight　days

later　they　rejoined　us　much　exhausted　and　having　lost　a　camel；　but

with　the　knife；　which　they　handed　to　me　with　a　low　bow；　and　I　confess

that　I　felt　ashamed　to　take　the　thing。



Nor　did　we　exchange　many　further　confidences　with　Har？t　and　Mar？t。　Up

to　the　time　of　our　arrival　at　the　boundaries　of　the　Kendah　country；

our　only　talk　with　them　was　of　the　incidents　of　travel；　of　where　we

should　camp；　of　how　far　it　might　be　to　the　next　water；　for　water…holes

or　old　wells　existed　in　this　desert；　of　such　birds　as　we　saw；　and　so

forth。　As　to　other　and　more　important　matters　a　kind　of　truce　seemed

to　prevail。　Still；　I　observed　that　they　were　always　studying　us；　and

especially　Lord　Ragnall；　who　rode　on　day　after　day；　self…absorbed　and

staring　straight　in　front　of　him　as　though　he　looked　at　something　we

could　not　see。



Thus　we　covered　hundreds　of　miles；　not　less　than　five　hundred　at　the

least；　reckoning　our　progress　at　only　thirty　miles　a　day；　including

stoppages。　For　occasionally　we　stopped　at　the　water…holes　or　small

oases；　where　the　camels　drank　and　rested。　Indeed；　these　were　so

conveniently　arranged　that　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　once　there

must　have　been　some　established　route　running　across　these　wastelands

to　the　south；　of　which　the　traditional　knowledge　remained　with　the

Kendah　people。　If　so；　it　had　not　been　used　for　generations；　for　save

those　of　one　or　two　that　had　died　on　the　outward　march；　we　saw　no

skeletons　of　camels　or　other　beasts；　or　indeed　any　sign　of　man。　The

place　was　an　absolute　wilderness　where　nothing　lived　except　a　few

small　mammals　at　the　oases　and　the　birds　that　passed　over　it　in　the

air　on　their　way　to　more　fertile　regions。　Of　these；　by　the　way；　I　saw

many　that　are　known　both　to　Europe　and　Africa；　especially　ducks　and

cranes；　also　storks　that；　for　aught　I　can　say；　may　have　come　from　far…

off；　homely　Holland。



At　last　the　character　of　the　country　began　to　change。　Grass　appeared

on　its　lower…lying　stretches；　then　bushes；　then　occasional　trees　and

among　the　trees　a　few　buck。　Halting　the　caravan　I　crept　out　and　shot

two　of　these　buck　with　a　right　and　left；　a　feat　that　caused　our　grave

escort　to　stare　in　a　fashion　which　showed　me　that　they　had　never　seen

anything　of　the　sort　done　before。



That　night；　while　we　were　eating　the　venison　with　relish；　since　it　was

the　first　fresh　meat　that　we　had　tasted　for　many　a　day；　I　observed

that　the　disposition　of　our　camp　was　different　from　its　common　form。

Thus　it　was　smaller　and　placed　on　an　eminence。　Also　the　camels　were

not　allowed　to　graze　where　they　would　as　usual；　but　were　kept　within　a

limited　area　while　their　riders　were　arranged　in　groups　outside　of

them。　Further；　the　stores　were　piled　near　our　tents；　in　the　centre；

with　guards　set　over　them。　I　asked　Har？t　and　Mar？t；　who　were　sharing

our　meal；　the　reason　of　these　alterations。



〃It　is　because　we　are　on　the　borders　of　the　Kendah　country；〃　answered

old　Har？t。　〃Four　days'　more　march　will　bring　us　there；　Macumazana。〃



〃Then　why　should　you　take　precautions　against　your　own　people？　Surely

they　will　welcome　you。〃



〃With　spears　perhaps。　Macumazana；　learn　that　the　Kendah　are　not　one

but　two　people。　As　you　may　have　heard　before；　we　are　the　White　Kendah；

but　there　are　also　Black　Kendah　who　outnumber　us　many　times　over；

though　in　the　beginning　we　from　the　north　conquered　them；　or　so　says

our　history。　The　White　Kendah　have　their　own　territory；　but　as　there

is　no　other　road；　to　reach　it　we　must　pass　through　that　of　the　Black

Kendah；　where　it　is　always　possible　that　we　may　be　attacked；

especially　as　we　bring　strangers　into　the　land。〃



〃How　is　it　then　that　the　Black　Kendah　allow　you　to　live　at　all；　Har？t；

if　they　are　so　much　the　more　numerous？〃



〃Because　of　fear；　Macumazana。　They　fear　our　wisdom　and　the　decrees　of

the　Heavenly　Child　spoken　through　the　mouth　of　its　oracle；　which；　if

it　is　offended；　can　bring　a　curse　upon　them。　Still；　if　they　find　us

outside　our　borders　they　may　kill　us；　if　they　can；　as　we　may　kill　them

if　we　find　them　within　our　borders。〃



〃Indeed；　Har？t。　Then　it　looks　to　me　as　though　there　were　a　war

breeding　between　you。〃



〃A　war　is　breeding；　Macumazana；　the　last　great　war　in　which　either　the

White　Kendah　or　the　Black　Kendah　must　perish。　Or　perhaps　both　will　die

together。　Maybe　that　is　the　real　reason　why　we　have　asked　you　to　be

our　guest；　Macumazana；〃　and　with　their　usual　courteous　bows；　both　of

them　rose　and　departed　before　I　could　reply。



〃You　see　how　it　stands；〃　I　said　to　Ragnall。　〃We　have　been　brought　here

to　fight　for　our　friends；　Har？t；　Mar？t　and　Co。；　against　their

rebellious　subjects；　or　rather　the　king　who　reigns　jointly　with　them。〃



〃It　looks　like　it；〃　he　replied　quietly；　〃but　doubtless　we　shall　find

out　the　truth　in　time　and　meanwhile　speculation　is　no　good。　Do　you　go

to　bed；　Quatermain；　I　will　watch　till　midnight　and　then　wake　you。〃



That　night　passed　in　safety。　Next　day　we　marched　before　the　dawn；

passing　through　country　that　grew　continually　better　watered　and　more

fertile；　though　it　was　still　open　plain　but　sloping　upwards　ever　more

steeply。　On　this　plain　I　saw　herds　of　antelopes　and　what　in　the

distance　looked　like　cattle；　but　no　human　being。　Before　evening　we

camped　where　there　was　good　water　and　plenty　of　food　for　the　camels。



While　the　camp　was　being　set　Har？t　came　and　invited　us　to　follow　him

to　the　outposts；　whence　he　said　we　should　see　a　view。　We　walked　with

him；　a　matter　of　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　the　head　of　that

rise　up　which　we　had　been　travelling　all　day；　and　thence　perceived　one

of　the　most　glorious　prospects　on　which　my　eyes　have　fallen　in　all

great　Africa。　From　where　we　stood　the　land　sloped　steeply　for　a　matter